LELAND, N.C. -- The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal was presented to a MALS-29
Marine for his actions in saving a heart attack victim on Magnolia
Greens Golf Course in Leland, North Carolina, Sept. 15.
Robert Tertzakian, a retiree, attended a golf tournament for disabled
American Veterans at the Magnolia Greens Golf Course where he had a
heart attack and collapsed. Gunnery Sgt. Raymond Andresen was near his
position and reacted swiftly to the situation.
"I look over towards Robert, and I see him lock up and fall backwards,"
said Andresen. "I checked his head and felt blood. He was also shaking
pretty badly so I checked to make sure he wouldn’t choke on his tongue
when he took a deep breath and became unresponsive."
Andresen said immediately following Tertzakian’s unresponsiveness he
began applying CPR. He attempted to use the defibrillators, but he and
fellow golfers had no power source so they began a rotation for applying
CPR until the proper first responders arrived on the scene.
"When I was doing it, performing CPR, I was honestly thinking I hope
this works out," said Andresen. "I hope everything is good."
Tertzakian’s eyes shimmered in the light with tears as recalled his thoughts after the incident.
"I often say I’m not afraid of dying I’m afraid of what I’m going to
miss," said Tertzakian. "The thing that bothered me the most on that
day, was that I didn’t say goodbye to my wife."
Tertzakian displayed a smile afterwards and declared that he would use
his chance to volunteer and speak with people who survived heart
attacks.
"I was talking to two of my friends when it all became nothing, I went
down," said Tertzakian. "Gunnery Sgt. Andresen immediately jumped I was
told. He is the reason I am alive, he is my guarding angel."
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